"He even took my bike-" Natsuki complained but was silenced by Taehyung.

"Let him be, we've still got one, we can just go back together. It's better that way too-"

"Better?" Natsuki was not keeping her mouth shut this time.

"Yeah, I mean, only one of us has to pedal, saves energy, right?" he chuckled, playing his words off.

Natsuki sighed, seeing no clear reason why Taehyung was behaving weird today.

"So, Neko-chan is found already, should we head back?" she asked innocently.

"Eh? So soon? Don't you wanna catch some more fishes? It's a beautiful day out here." he looked at the sky, the cotton-like clouds were all over above their heads.

Natsuki followed his gaze, now hesitant. The day sure was a beautiful one!

"Um, okay, if you say so!" she gave in, sitting back down on the rock.

"It really is beautiful today, I wonder how many fishes are in there..." she blabberd on, quickly forgetting about all of the questions she had in mind.

At the end of the day, they could catch a few fishes. Satisfied by the day spent well, Taehyung stood up, stretching his hands as he yawned.

"What a day!" he had a big smile on his face.

"Do you like fishing that much?" Natsuki chuckled looking at his happy smile.

"Sometimes, it's not about the activity itself but the people you do it with or for." he said casually and hopped on his bike, "get on!"

"Eh? Okay,"

She wanted to hear more but he was ready to go. It was getting pretty late after all, so she quickly hopped on the bike.

Taehyung stayed still on his place after she was seated for a long while. Wondering what he was doing, not starting to pedal, she asked him.

"Yukio, what are you waiting for?"

"Safety first!" he chimed, looking back at her, "I remember someone telling me this sentence and I can't forget it."

"You're even mocking me now," she rolled her eyes, reluctantly reaching out to grab onto Taehyung's shirt.

"I'm not," but Taehyung had another idea. He didn't like that she only clutched his shirt, so he grabbed her hands and guided them so that now, she was hugging his waist securely.

Taken aback, but not surprised, Natsuki didn't say anything and Taehyung started pedalling as they left the lake behind.

The sky was getting darker with each passing second as the sun was about to set. Time felt like, it was moving too fast as they rode past the trees on their way.

The only time they had to stop was at the railway crossing. The street was empty, no one was seen around them, making the atmosphere especially calm.

The traffic lights went off, momentarily painting their faces red. Do you know those flickering kind of lights? Natsuki got off the bike, getting bored of sitting there while doing nothing.

Taehyung laughed silently, looking at her face as she stared at the railway lines.

"What? Why are you laughing?" she asked, confused.

"Your face looks like a tomato, it's red." he suppressed another chuckle. That was really useless now though! Natsuki glanced at the traffic lights. They were still now, not flickering anymore.

"Hey, hey, why is everyone so fond of teasing me? I get it, my face is funny but-"

"I love tomatoes,"

"Eh?"

Natsuki was stunned and at the same time, the train arrived as the noise of it behind her washed off all the other sounds.

"You love what?" she still wanted to hear what he had to say.

"... silly, I l- ..."

She couldn't really hear what he said but she could read his lips as they moved, curling up in a smile at last.

Her eyes widened at the thought of it! She must be mistaken. He couldn't say that, right?

Well, he could!

The smile on his lips complimented the light hue on his cheeks as the wind ruffled his hair. She couldn't believe that the person in front of her was real and was standing in front of her, smiling with his eyes. Unlike her, the red light reflecting on his face didn't make him look like a tomato, instead, it enhanced his boyish charms.

"Come again?" she attempted to ask again, gathering up the courage to listen again. What if he wasn't saying what she had thought? What if she was just imagining it all? She'd be heartbroken.

"Natsuki-chan," he shook his head, still smiling, "come here." and he gestured her to come closer.

The train had passed the crossing as the lights started flickering again.

"What does your face look like?" Taehyung asked as she stood closer to him, just in a hand's reach.

She narrowed her eyes at him. Was she supposed to answer it? "... a tomato?"

It was clearly a question.

"Right. And I like tomatoes so much. You know that now, right?" he was still asking questions like one would ask a kid.

"Yes," she replied obediently.

"So, what does that mean?" he tilted his head a little, anticipating a perfect answer.

"Eh?" she was sceptical, it was evident on her face.

Taehyung nodded his head in encouragement, urging her to say it.

"That you like..." she gulped, not sure if she should really just go ahead and say it. What if he meant something else? She'd be too embarrassed to even show her face to him again if it wasn't what she thought.

"Suki, you know that your brain works too slow sometimes, don't you?" Taehyung shook his head, grabbing her wrist to pull her closer.

"If I like tomatoes and your face looks like a freaking tomato, that means I like you, Suki."

All she could do was blink.

"YOU LIKE ME?!" not even a second had passed and her hand flew to her face, covering her mouth after literally screaming it out and stumbled back a few steps.

The traffic lights finally turned green as the barriers opened.

"Were you not expecting it? I thought I made it a bit obvious-"

Natsuki was in no shape, state, situation or condition to be replying to him right now.

"Suki? Hello?" Taehyung put the bike on stand, approaching her.

"Wait, wait, wait-"

Taehyung laughed at her actions, obviously finding it cute. It was expected from Natsuki to act dramatically after hearing those words.

"You heard it right, I like you. What happened?" he gasped too loud for it to be real, "or... is it that you don't like me?!"

If Natsuki was dramatic, Taehyung had learned how to play along with her as well.

"No, of course I do, dummy." she finally got back to her senses.

"I know," Taehyung smiled and it only took one step for him to hug her small figure.

Natsuki didn't know where to put her hands and awkwardly clutched onto his shirt.

"Yukio, we're literally standing in between the road." Natsuki spoke up as it was getting too much for her to handle.

"Oh, right," Taehyung pulled back, awkwardly scratching his nape.

"Let's get my lovely tomato home," Taehyung said in a happy voice, hopping on the bike.

"What the! You're embarrassing me," Natsuki smacked him on the back as she sat down. He only laughed in response.

Although she would have to take a moment alone as soon as she gets home to digest all of this but right now, she just felt so relieved. All these days, she had been stressing over the loss of conversation between Taehyung and her. She can finally be at peace now.

"By the way, I'm sorry for somehow ghosting you these days." he spoke up after a while.

The wind hushed his voice a bit, but she could still hear him.

"Oh, nice that you realise it!" her grip on his waist tightened as she rested her face on his back.

"Were you- I mean, are you mad at me?" he asked, sounding apologetic.

"Um, I was, but for some reason, I'm not anymore." she scoffed playfully, making him laugh.

"It's good then,"

"But really, why did you do that to me? I was about to give up on you. I thought I made you uncomfortable at some point." she said whatever she wanted without hesitation this time.

"Oh, well, I really am sorry but I was just trying to figure out what I should do. I didn't know what to answer and how to behave while I was so confused about my feelings. Deep down, I knew that I liked you, but then what? What was I supposed to do? So I had to get some help," he chuckled, embarrassed.

"Help? From whom? Wait, let me guess." she leaned back again, "who else can it be other than our Fumiya-kun!!"

"You're right but actually everyone else helped me more or less. It's a long story."

"Oh, please, it already sounds interesting," Natsuki laughed, "let me hear all of it."

"It will take some time and It's getting late," he stopped in front of the gates of his house, "do you mind if I have a little sleepover at your home?"

"Oh?" Taehyung turned to look at her, making her nervous for no reason.

"I mean, it's alright if you-"

"You can," Natsuki blurted out before she could regret not stopping him.

"Alright then," his face lit up, "I'll put the bike aside and ask my mom quickly, wait for me here."

"Oh good lord," Natsuki sighed as soon as he was out of her sight. She didn't know how she was going to handle him and his charms.

•~•~•

"Um, mom, it's a bit sudden but, can Yukio have a sleepover tonight?" Natsuki asked  feeling a little guilty.

If it was some other day in the past, she wouldn't feel that way because Taehyung would be just staying over as a friend but now the tables had turned. She wasn't technically lying to her mother but hiding something only made her feel guilty. Well, it wasn't like she had any other choice. She, actually, both of them needed more time.

And it wasn't like they had talked about it either. What were they? No idea!

Natsuki stood nervously as Taehyung put a small smile on his face while Natsuki's mother glanced at him.

She was an easy going person but... you never know!

■□■□

Cliffhanger, lol!
Vote and comment please. <3